Feeling tired is normal after a few late nights or stressful days—but for some, the exhaustion never fades. This is where functional medicine chronic fatigue care comes in. If you wake up feeling like you’ve already run a marathon and even simple tasks leave you drained for hours—or days—it may be time to look deeper for the root cause.
This isn’t just “being tired.” This is something else entirely.
And if you’ve found yourself saying things like, “I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck,” or “No matter how much I rest, I never feel better,” you’re not imagining things. It might be chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), or possibly a lingering crash after COVID, now commonly referred to as long COVID. Either way, there’s more going on under the surface than most people realise.
This is where a functional medicine chronic fatigue approach can make a difference. Instead of masking symptoms, it looks for underlying triggers—nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, hormone imbalances, or post-viral effects—and creates a personalized plan to restore lasting energy.
CFS/ME vs Ordinary Fatigue: When Tired Becomes a Condition
Let’s get one thing straight: chronic fatigue isn’t just about being tired a lot.
CFS—also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)—comes with a nasty twist called post-exertional malaise. This basically means even light activity, like a short walk or a conversation, can trigger a crash. It’s not just tiredness. It’s your whole system rebelling.
You might also experience:
- Brain fog that makes thinking feel like swimming through sludge
- Aching muscles or flu-like symptoms without a virus
- Sleep that doesn’t refresh you at all
- Sensitivity to noise, light, or even touch
With long COVID, we’re seeing an eerily similar pattern. People recover from the virus, but never quite return to baseline. Months later they’re still grappling with fatigue, shortness of breath, unrefreshing sleep, and strange neurological symptoms.
Sound familiar?
That’s because both CFS and long COVID appear to share several overlapping mechanisms. These aren’t just vague complaints. We’re talking about measurable changes in your biology.
The Hidden Drivers:
Mitochondria, Immune Confusion, and Neuroinflammation
So what’s happening behind the scenes?
Well, one key player is your mitochondria—tiny little power plants inside your cells. When working properly, they generate energy from the food you eat. When they get sluggish or damaged, your energy production tanks.
Then there’s immune dysregulation. In some people, an infection or environmental stressor seems to flip the immune system into a chronically active or misfiring state. Think of it like an alarm that got triggered months ago but never switched off. That constant activation chews up energy and messes with everything from sleep to mood.
Lastly, there’s neuroinflammation. This is inflammation inside the brain and nervous system. While your body might not feel “inflamed” in the classic sense (red, swollen, painful), your brain might be sending out distress signals that affect cognition, mood, and fatigue regulation.
And here’s the kicker—these underlying processes rarely show up on standard GP blood tests. Which leads to one of the biggest frustrations…
Why Conventional Approaches Fall Short
If you’ve ever been told, “Everything looks fine,” or “It’s probably just stress,” you’re not alone. Traditional medicine excels at diagnosing things like infections, organ failure, or overt deficiencies—but it often misses these subtler, systemic imbalances.
Most people walk away with vague advice: rest more, eat healthy, manage stress. While all of those matter, they barely scratch the surface.
This is where functional medicine offers something different. Instead of stopping at normal test results, we ask: what’s going wrong at a cellular or systems level?
The Testing That Actually Shows What’s Happening
In functional medicine, we use specialised tools to get a clearer picture. You’re not crazy. You’re just not being tested properly.
Here’s what we might explore:
- Inflammatory markers beyond just CRP, like the ratio of albumin to globulin.
- Nutrient levels including B12, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D
- White blood cell differentials—looking at immune system patterns over time
- Cortisol rhythms and hormone balance using tools like the DUTCH adrenal panel
- Mitochondrial function indicators—sometimes through organic acids testing
These tests don’t just tell us what is off. They help us map out why you feel the way you do.
A Multi-Layered Approach to Real Recovery
So what can you do if this all sounds like your daily life?
Here’s a sneak peek at how we start to rebuild energy from the inside out. Keep in mind, real healing takes a tailored approach—and that’s something best done in partnership, not DIY.
1. Mitochondrial Support
We often begin by giving your mitochondria the raw materials they need to work better. That might include nutrients like:
- CoQ10 – critical for energy production
- Acetyl-L-carnitine – helps transport fatty acids into mitochondria
- Magnesium – used in over 300 enzyme reactions
- B-complex vitamins – especially B2 and B3 for mitochondrial enzymes
Even simple additions can shift your energy baseline when used in the right combination.
2. Calming the Fire
Chronic immune activation creates a feedback loop that keeps you stuck in fatigue. Anti-inflammatory support might include:
- Curcumin from turmeric
- Omega-3 fatty acids (think fish oil)
- Resveratrol from grapes or supplements
- Medicinal mushrooms like reishi or cordyceps for immune modulation
Again, which one works best? That depends on your body.
3. Rebalancing Hormones + Restoring Rhythm
Sleep and energy run on cycles. When your adrenal hormones are flatlined or reversed, you’ll feel wired at night and shattered during the day. Support here might involve:
- Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, or holy basil
- Nutrients like vitamin C and pantothenic acid to nourish the adrenals
- Gentle lifestyle rhythms—regular wake/sleep times, light exposure, and slow movement
And remember, more rest isn’t always better if your body can’t use rest properly.
The Bottom Line: Your Fatigue Has a Cause, and It’s Not All in Your Head
Here’s the truth: your body is sending a message. Chronic fatigue and long COVID aren’t random—they’re signs that something deeper needs attention. Through a functional medicine chronic fatigue approach, you can move beyond temporary fixes and start true healing.
You don’t need another list of generic energy tips—you need a personalized plan built for you.
If this sounds like your story, book a consultation today and let’s uncover the root cause together.